Bicycle



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R. FRITZ.

BIGYGLE.

No. 581,985. I Patented May 4, 1897.

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2 Z T I R P (NoModeL) BICYCLE.

No. 581,985. Patented May 4, 1897.

ROBERT FRITZ, OF WEST HOBOKEN, NEWV JERSEY.

BICYCLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581,985, dated May 4, 1897. Application filed October 1,1896. Serial No. 607,538. (No model) To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT FRITZ, of West Hoboken, Hudson county, New Jersey, have invented an Improved Bicycle, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in the propelling mechanism for bicycles, and has for its object to provide simple and effective means for permitting the hands to assistthe feet in propelling the machine.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a bicycle-frame provided with my improvement and showing the yoke out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel.

Figs. 2 and 3 are similar views showing the yoke in different positions. Fig. 4% is a sectional detail taken on line 4 4, Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a front elevation of the upper part of the bicycle; Fig. 6, a cross-section through the yoke on line 6 6, Fig. 1; Fig. 7, a detail of one end of the yoke; Fig. 8, a cross-section on line 8 8, Fig. 5; and Fig. 9, a vertical longitudinal section of the upper end of the handle-bar.

The letter a represents the head of a bicycle-frame that embraces the head bar or tube 1), extending to the steering-fork. The tube b is provided, above the head a, with a hinge b, Fig. 9, so that the upper end 11 0f the tube maybeoscillated back and forth. Within this upper end 11 is contained the usual telescoped and vertically-adjustable handle-bar c, carrying handles 0.

The head a is embraced by a collard, having a pair of upwardly-extending arms d (1 Fig. 5. To the arm at there is fulcrumed ate a lever e, the upper end of which is laterally extended to project to the right and left of the tube 5 To the front and rear of the upper end of the lever e there is journaled one end of a roller f, the other end of which is journaled in a bearing f, pivoted to the arm (Z at f One of the rollers fshould be made concave and the other convex, Fig. 8, to provide a curved slot of equal width, that forms a guide for the tube b in steering the machine.

It will be seen that with the mechanism thus far described a to-and-fro motion imparted to the handle-bar will cause the tube 1) to alternately bear against the inner side of the front and rear roller f, so that in this way the lever e is vibrated on its fulcrum e.

The lower end of the lever c connects with one end of a draw-bar g, the other end of which is connected with the downwardly-curved end if of an arm 77/, actuated by spring h and to which a slide or yoke h is intimately attached. The arm h is held to the bicycle-frame by means of a guide 11, which permits a reciprocating and also a slight oscillating motion of the arm, and consequently also of the yoke. The yoke h is made in the form of an elongated rectangular frame or of a slide having an elongated slot or way. The lower and upper edges of this slot or way are serrated, the lower teeth pointing rearwardly and the upper teeth pointing forwardly, as shown.

Vithin the slot of the-yoke h is contained a ratchet-wheel j, which is of a diameter slightly smaller than the width of the yoke slot. The wheel j is mounted upon one end of the axle j, the other end of which carries the usual chain-wheelfi. The axlej' snugly engages the elongated opening of a square frame it, to the ends of which the yoke h is connected by springs in such a manner that the frame constitutes a centering device for the yoke.

The operation is as follows: If the bicycle is to be propelled by the pedals only, the bandle-bar c is drawn backward to its full extent, Fig. 1, when the yoke 7t will be brought to, its central position and out of engagement with the wheel j. If han d-power is to be applied for assisting in driving the machine, the handle-bar is gently rocked to and fro to reciprocate the connecting-rod g in the manner described. If the hand-bar is pushed forward, and the rod 9 is consequently pushed backward, Fig. 2, the yoke h will be tilted with its rear end slightly upward and its lower teeth will be brought into engagement with the wheel j to revolve the axle j forward. If the handbar is drawn backward and the rod 9 is consequently moved forward, Fig. 3, the yoke It will be tilted with its rear end slightly downward and its upper teeth will be brought to engage the wheel j, so that the axle will be also revolved forward. Thus by imparting a reciprocating motion to the handle-bar a continuous forward rotation will be imparted to the driving-axle, and thus the hands can be utilized at any time to assist the feet in propelling the machine.

That I claim is-- 1. In a bicycle the combination of a tubular head With a lever pivoted thereto and having an upper front and rear contact, an oscillating steering-tube adapted to alternately engage said contacts and vibrate the lever, and means for transmitting the motion of the lever to the driving-axle, substantially as specified.

2. In a bicycle the combination of a ratchet- Wheel with an oscillating serrated yoke which is of a greater diameter than the ratchet-wheel and normally out of contact therewith, an opcrating-lever, and means for connecting said lever to the yoke, all being so constructed that by the oscillation of the lever, the yoke is simultaneously oscillated and reciprocated to engage and revolve the ratchet-Wheel, substantially as specified.

3. In a bicycle the combination of a crankaxle with a ratchet-Wheel mounted thereon, an elongated frame engaged by the axle, an

oscillating serrated yoke spring-hung to the frame, and having a downwardly-curved arm, a draw-bar connected thereto, an operatinglever connected to the draw-bar, and means for oscillating said lever, all being so constructed that by the oscillation of said lever the yoke is simultaneously reciprocated and oscillated to engage and revolve the ratchet- Wheel, substantially as specified.

at. A bicycle provided with an oscillating handle-bar, a lever, a concave and a convex roller pivoted to the lever at opposite sides of the handle-bar, a serrated yoke operated by the lever, and a ratchet-Wheel adapted to engage the yoke and to drive the axle, substantially as specified.

ROBERT FRITZ. \Vitnesses:

F. v. BRIESEN, WILLIAM SCHULZ. 

